Apparatus for generating cold water and water purifier

ABSTRACT

A water cooling apparatus and a water purifier having a water cooling apparatus is provided. The water cooling apparatus may include a case, a water tank provided within the case, a cooling block provided to be in contact with the water tank and to cool the water tank through heat exchange, a thermoelectric element having one side in contact with the cooling block and provided so as to transfer heat from the one side to another side of the thermoelectric element when power is applied thereto, an insulator provided within the case and that covers the water tank and the cooling block, and a heat dissipation block provided outside of the case and provided to be in contact with the other side of the thermoelectric element to dissipate heat from the other side of the thermoelectric element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to KoreanApplication No. 10-2016-0132926, filed on Oct. 13, 2016, whose entiredisclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

A cold water generating apparatus to cool water for drinking isprovided.

2. Background

A water purifier may be an apparatus that filters water, such as, e.g.,tap water or service water, supplied from a water supply source viaphysical and chemical methods to remove impurities therefrom and supplypurified water. Water purifiers may be classified as, e.g., a naturalfiltration type, a direct filtration type, an ion-exchange resin type, adistillatory type, and a reverse osmosis type, according to a waterpurification principle or a water purification method. A water purifiermay include a storage type water purifier that stores water purifiedthrough a filter in a storage tank and may heat or cool the purifiedwater upon discharge from the tank, and a direct type water purifierthat may heat or cool water purified through a filter and discharge thepurified water without a storage tank.

A related art water purifier may cool water accommodated in a cold watertank using a refrigerating cycle. In a refrigerating cycle system, anevaporator in which refrigerant flows may be provided within or outsideof a cold water tank to cool water accommodated in the cold water tank.However, since the refrigerating cycle system requires a compressor, acondenser, and an expansion valve or a capillary, as well as anevaporator, the refrigerating cycle system has a complicatedconfiguration and may occupy a large installation space, such that itmay be difficult to reduce a size of a water purifier.

When power is applied to a thermoelectric element, heat may betransmitted from one side of the thermoelectric element to another sidethereof. Thus, a cold water tank may be cooled by simply connecting apower source to the thermoelectric element, and in this case, since anevaporator, a compressor, a condenser, may not be required, aconfiguration of such an apparatus may be simple and an installationspace thereof may be reduced, compared with existing refrigerating cyclesystems.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual view of a related art water cooling apparatusthat cools a cold water tank using a thermoelectric element. One side ofa thermoelectric element 4 may be in contact with a cold block 2connected to a cold water tank 1, and another side of the thermoelectricelement 4 may be in contact with a heat block 3 having a fan 6. When thethermoelectric element 4 is driven, heat may be transmitted from waterin the cold water tank 1 to the cold block 2, the thermoelectric element4, and the heat block 3, and, due to a temperature difference betweenone side and the other side of the thermoelectric element 4, the coldblock 2 may become cold and the heat block 3 may become hot. Heattransmitted to the heat block 3 may be heat-exchanged with airintroduced to the heat block 3 from outside according to driving of thefan 6 so as to be outwardly dissipated, cooling the water in the coldwater tank 1.

The cold block 2 and the heat block 3 may be connected and fastened toeach other by a plurality of fasteners 5, such as screws, adhered to theoutside of the cold water tank 1. However, when the cold block 2 and theheat block 3 are heat-exchanged through the fastener 5 connecting thecold block 2 and the heat block 3, some of the heat to be dissipatedoutside of the heat block 3 may be re-transmitted to the cold block 2through the fastener 5 (e.g., a screw). Heat transmission to the coldblock 2 may increase a temperature of the cold block 2, degradingcooling performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer to likeelements wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for cold water according tothe present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a case according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fastening structure of a coolingblock and a case according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a fastening structure of a heatdissipation block and a case according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 viewedfrom a rear;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 viewedfrom a front;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of an internal flow channel ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view of a cooling operation of a cold water tank using athermoelectric element according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is a conceptual view of a related art water cooling apparatusthat cools a cold water tank using a thermoelectric element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An apparatus to generate cold water according to the present disclosuremay be applied to a direct type water purifier that may dispense coldwater or a refrigerator in which a water dispenser may be installed. Theapparatus according to the present disclosure may be a water coolingapparatus that generates cold water by cooling water purified by afilter.

Referring to FIG. 1, the water cooling apparatus may include a case 10,a heat dissipation block 60, and a fan 70. The case 10 may have a flatrectangular shape. Corners of the case 10 may be rounded. The case 10may be vertically provided. The case 10 may be formed of plastic andmanufactured through injection molding.

The heat dissipation block 60 may dissipate heat from a rear side of thecase 10. The heat dissipation block 60 may be in contact with air to beheat-exchanged so as to dissipate heat. The heat dissipation block 60may include a heat dissipation plate 61 and a heat dissipation fin 62.The heat dissipation plate 61 may have a rectangular shape and may be incontact with a thermoelectric element or cooler 40 mounted on a rearside of the case 10 to outwardly dissipate heat generated by thethermoelectric element 40. The heat dissipation fin 62 may be providedin plurality and may protrude backwardly from the heat dissipation plate61 to expand a contact area for air.

The plurality of heat dissipation fins 62 may extend in a transversedirection and may be spaced apart from each other in a longitudinaldirection. A direction in which air is discharged may be varieddepending on a direction in which the heat dissipation fins 62 extend.For example, when the case 10 and the heat dissipation block 60 arevertically provided within the water cooling apparatus or water purifierand an extending direction of the heat dissipation fins 62 is atransverse direction, hot air heat-exchanged with the heat dissipationplate 61 and the heat dissipation fins 62 may be outwardly dischargedfrom an inside of the water purifier in a lateral direction. If anextending direction of the heat dissipation fins 62 is a verticaldirection, hot air heat-exchanged with the heat dissipation fins 62 maybe discharged in a vertical direction from the inside of the waterpurifier, and a separate air duct may be provided to discharge hot airto the outside of the water purifier and may increase a size of thewater purifier.

The fan 70 may be vertically installed on the rear side of the heatdissipation fins 62. The fan 70 may blow ambient air to the heatdissipation fins 62 to allow ambient air to be in contact with the heatdissipation fins 62 and the heat dissipation plate 61 to dissipate heatfrom the heat dissipation plate 61 and the heat dissipation fins 62through heat exchange.

Referring to FIG. 2, a rectangular through hole 123 may be provided on arear surface of the case 10, and a plurality of fastening parts 811, 821may be provided along edges of the through hole 123. The through hole123 may be provided at a center of the rear surface of the case 10. Aplurality of thermoelectric elements 40 (e.g., two thermoelectricelements) may be provided up and down in the through hole 123. Also, aportion of an insulator 50 may protrude to the inside of the throughhole 123 to surround edges of the thermoelectric element 40. Theinsulator 50 may block transmission of heat from outside to thethermoelectric element 40.

Among the plurality of fastening parts, four first fastening parts 811may be respectively provided on upper, lower, left and right sides ofthe through hole 123, and two second fastening parts 821 may be providedon both sides of each of the first fastening parts 811 on the left andright sides of the through hole 123. The first fastening parts 811 mayfasten a cooling block 30 and the case 10, and the second fasteningparts 821 may fasten the heat dissipation block 60 and the case 10. Thecooling block 30 and the heat dissipation block 60 may be fastened toseparate positions of the case 10 by the first fastening part 811 andthe second fastening part 821 in order to block transmission of heatfrom the heat dissipation block 60 to the cooling block 30.

Referring to FIG. 3, a cold water tank 20, the cooling block 30, and theinsulator 50 may be provided within the case 10. The heat dissipationblock 60 may be provided outside of the case 10. The thermoelectricelement 40 may be provided between the cooling block 30 and the heatdissipation block 60. The cold water tank 20 may be an airtight tank.The cold water tank 20 may have a space that allows water to flowtherein. Ice 24 may be formed within the cold water tank 20. The coldwater tank 20 may be formed as a flat rectangular body. One side of thecooling block 30 may be in contact with the cold water tank 20 totransmit heat from the cold water tank 20 to the cooling block 30. Thecooling block 30 may be formed of aluminum having a high heat transfercoefficient.

The cooling block 30 may include a first cooling block part 31 and asecond cooling block part 32. One side of the first cooling block part31 may be in contact with the cold water tank 20, and one side of thesecond cooling block part 32 may be in contact with the thermoelectricelement 40. Heat may be transmitted or transferred between one side ofthe first cooling block part 31 and an upper surface of the cold watertank 20 and between the one side of the second cooling block part 32 andone side of the thermoelectric element 40. Heat from the cold water tank20 may be transmitted to the first cooling block part 31 through heatexchange, and heat may be transmitted from the second cooling block part32 to the thermoelectric element 40.

An area of the first cooling block part 31 may be equal to an area ofthe cold water tank 20. Since contact areas of the cold water tank 20and the first cooling block part 31 may be equal, heat transmission mayuniformly be made on an entire surface of the cold water tank 20.Accordingly, ice 24 may be generated to have a uniform thickness withinthe cold water tank 20. A thickness of a layer of the ice 24 may be ⅓ to⅔ of a thickness of a tank body 21. The thickness of a layer of the ice24 may be about ½ of the thickness of the tank body 21.

The second cooling block part 32 may have an area smaller than an areaof the first cooling block part 31. The area of the second cooling blockpart 32 may be equal to an area of the thermoelectric element 40. Sincecontact areas of the second cooling block part 32 and the thermoelectricelement 40 may be equal, heat may be uniformly transmitted on an entiresurface of the second cooling block 30.

The second cooling block part 32 may protrude from a middle portion ofthe first cooling block part 31. A height or thickness of the secondcooling block part 32 in contact with the thermoelectric element 40 maybe set to be different depending on a type of the insulator 50. Forexample, when the insulator 50 is formed of a polyurethane (PU)material, a height of the second cooling block part 32 may be set to17.5 mm or greater. When the insulator 50 is formed of an expandedpolystyrene (EPS) material, a height of the second cooling block part 32may be set to 24.8 mm or greater. When the insulator 50 is formed of avacuum insulation panel (VIP) material, a height of the second coolingblock part 32 may be set to 5 mm or greater. If a thickness of a secondinsulator 52 surrounding the second cooling block part 32 is too small,cool air from the cooling block 30 and heat from the heat dissipationblock 60 may be heat-exchanged to degrade cooling efficiency of thethermoelectric element 40 and generate condensation in or on the coolingblock 30.

A gap between the first cooling block part 31 and the heat dissipationblock 60 may be adjusted according to a height of the second coolingblock part 32. The second cooling block part 32, except a surfacethereof in contact with the thermoelectric element 40, may be configuredto be surrounded by the second insulator 52. Accordingly, condensationon the cooling block 30 may be prevented.

Referring to FIG. 3, the cold water tank 20, the cooling block 30, andthe thermoelectric element 40 may be stacked in one direction andcoupled to each other within the case 10. The insulator 50 may fill aninternal space of the case 10 and may surround the cold water tank 20,the cooling block 30, and the thermoelectric element 40. Accordingly,leakage of cold air from the cold water tank 20, the cooling block 30,and the thermoelectric element 40 may be minimized. The insulator 50 maybe formed of various materials, such as, e.g., EPS.

Referring to FIG. 3, a thermal grease may be applied between an uppersurface of the cold water tank 20 and a lower side of the first coolingblock part 31 and between an upper side of the second cooling block 30and one side surface of the thermoelectric element 40 to fill a gapbetween the cold water tank 20 and the cooling block 30 and between thecooling block 30 and the thermoelectric element 40 to ensure desirableheat transmission.

A plurality of first fastening parts 811 may be formed on an uppersurface (or rear surface in relation to FIG. 1) of the case 10. Thefirst fastening part 811 may be formed by depressing a portion of anupper surface of the case 10 such that a bolt head may be accommodatedtherein. A through hole allowing a fastener 81 such as a bolt topenetrate therethrough may be formed on a lower surface of the firstfastening part 811. A bolt head may be surrounded by the insulator 50 toprevent cold air from the cooling block 30 from being leaked to theoutside through the bolt head.

A plurality of fastener holders 812 may be formed on first cooling blockpart 31 that extend from a surface of the first cooling block part 31towards the first fastening part 811. The plurality of fastener holders812 may be formed to each receive a fastener 81 therein. The pluralityof fastener holders 812 may contact the lower surface of the firstfastening part 811. The fastener 81 may penetrate through the throughhole of the lower surface of the first fastening part 811 and may bereceived in the fastener holder 812 so that the second case 12 may beconnected or fastened to the cooling block 30.

A plurality of first coupling parts or screw holders 211 into which ascrew may be fastened are formed on an upper surface of the firstcooling block part 31. The plurality of first fastening parts 811 andthe first coupling parts 211 may be provided to face each other in athickness direction of the second cooling block part 32. The pluralityof first fastening parts 811 may be formed in upper, lower, and left,right sides of the through hole 123 along edges of the through hole 123of the case 10. The plurality of first coupling parts 211 may be coupledto the first cooling block part 31, may be spaced apart from the side ofthe second cooling block part 32, and may protrude from the tank body 21in an upward direction. The first fastening part 811 of the case 10 andthe first coupling part 211 of the first cooling block part 31 may befastened by a first fastener 81 such as a bolt, so that the coolingblock 30 may be coupled to a portion of the rear surface of the case 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of second fastening parts 821 may beformed on an upper surface (or rear surface in relation to FIG. 1) ofthe case 10. Two second fastening parts 821 may be provided in left andright edge portions of the through hole 123 in a vertical direction withthe first fastening part 811 formed on left and right edges of thethrough hole 123 interposed therebetween. A lower portion of the secondfastening part 821 may be depressed in a downward direction or inwarddirection of the case 10, and an upper portion of the second fasteningpart 821 may protrude in an upward direction or outward direction of thecase 10. A fastening recess or screw hole may be formed within thesecond fastening part 821 to allow a screw to be inserted therein.

A plurality of second coupling parts 822 may be formed in the heatdissipation plate 61 and face the second fastening parts 821. Afastening hole 525 may be formed within the second coupling part 822such that a bolt may penetrate therethrough. An insertion recess 8221may be formed in a lower portion of the second coupling part 822, andthus, an upper portion of the second fastening part 821 may be insertedand coupled to the insertion recess 8221 of the second coupling part822.

The second fastening part 821 of the case 10 and the second couplingpart 822 of the heat dissipation plate 61 may be fastened by a secondfastener 82 such as, e.g., a bolt or screw, so that the heat dissipationblock 60 may be coupled to another portion of the rear surface of thecase 10. The first and second fasteners 81 and 82 may be formed of anstainless steel (SUS) material. Since the cooling block 30 and the heatdissipation block 60 are fastened to the rear surface of the case 10from separate positions, transmission of heat from the heat dissipationblock 60 to the cooling block 30 through the fastener 80 may beprevented.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are exploded perspective views of the water coolingapparatus of FIG. 1, in which FIG. 5 illustrates the water coolingapparatus viewed from a rear side and FIG. 6 illustrates the watercooling apparatus viewed from a front side. FIG. 7 is an enlargedperspective view of an internal flow channel 23 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the case 10 may include a first case 11and a second case 12. The first case 11 may form a front surface andside surfaces of the case 10, and the second case 12 may form a rearsurface and side surfaces of the case 10. The first and second cases 11and 12 may be provided to be symmetrical in a forward/backwarddirection, and may be coupled when edges thereof are in contact witheach other. Two locking parts or latches 113 may be formed at each ofupper and lower sides of the first case 11, and two locking protrusionsor latch holders 121 may be formed at each of upper and lower sides ofthe second case 12. As the locking protrusions 121 may be coupled to aninner side of the locking parts 113, the first case 11 and the secondcase 12 may be assembled as one assembly. Two portions of left and rightside surfaces of the first and second cases 11 and 12 may be fastened bybolts. A plurality of bolt holes 114 may be formed on side surfaces ofthe first case 11, and a plurality of recesses 116 may be formed onsides of the second case 12 so that the first and second cases 11 and 12may be fastened by bolts.

The insulator 50 may include a first insulator 51 provided within thefirst case 11 and a second insulator 52 provided within the second case12. A coupling recess or groove 511 may be formed along edges of aninner side surface of the first insulator 51, and a coupling protrusionor flange 521 may be formed along edges of an inner side surface of thesecond insulator 52. As the coupling protrusion 521 is inserted into thecoupling recess 511, the first and second insulators 51 and 52 may becoupled to each other.

A plurality of fixing protrusions 115 may be formed on an inner sidesurface of the first case 11, and a plurality of fixing recesses 512 maybe formed on an outer front surface of the first insulator 51. When thefixing protrusions 115 are inserted into the fixing recesses 512, thefirst insulator 51 may be fixed to the first case 11.

A first mounting recess 522 may be formed on an inner side surface ofthe first insulator 51, and one side of the cold water tank 20 may beaccommodated and fixed to the first mounting recess 522.

The cold water tank 20 may include a tank body 21 having an internalflow channel 23 therein and a cover 22 having a water inlet 221 and awater outlet 222. The water inlet 221 and the water outlet 222 may havea pipe shape. The cold water tank 20 may have a flat rectangular shape.

A water inlet insertion hole 513 may be formed in a lower corner portionof the first mounting recess 522 of the first insulator 51, and a wateroutlet insertion hole 514 may be formed in an upper corner portion ofthe first mounting recess 522. The water inlet 221 and the water outlet222 may be inserted into the water inlet insertion hole 513 and thewater outlet insertion hole 514, respectively. A water inlet insertionhole 111 may be formed in a lower corner portion of a front surface ofthe first case 11, and a water outlet insertion hole 112 may be formedin an upper corner portion of the front surface of the first case 11.The water inlet 221 and the water outlet 222 may be inserted into thewater inlet insertion hole 111 and the water outlet insertion hole 112,respectively.

The cover 22 may be provided to cover a front side of the tank body 21,and when edges of the cover 22 are coupled to edges of the front surfaceof the tank body 21 through welding, an accommodation space inside ofthe tank body 21 may be hermetically closed. The water inlet 221 may beformed in a lower corner portion of the cover 22, and the water outlet222 may be formed in an upper corner portion of the cover 22. Purifiedwater introduced to the inside of the tank body 21 through the waterinlet 221 may be moved in a direction opposite to gravity within theaccommodation space of the tank body 21 and ejected through the wateroutlet 222.

A plurality of coupling parts 211 may protrude from a rear surface ofthe tank body 21. A female thread may be formed on an inner side of theplurality of coupling parts 211. A plurality of coupling recesses 311may be formed on a front surface of the first cooling block part 31 andcorrespond to the plurality of coupling parts 211. A through holeallowing a bolt to penetrate therethrough may be formed in each of theplurality of coupling recesses 311. When the front surface of the firstcooling block part 31 and a rear surface of the tank body 21 come intocontact with each other, the plurality of coupling parts 211 may beinserted into the plurality of coupling recesses 311 and a plurality ofbolts 312 may be inserted into a through hole of each of the pluralityof coupling recesses 311 and female threads of the plurality of couplingparts 211 so as to be fastened, whereby the cold water tank 20 and thecooling block 30 may be fastened to each other.

A second mounting recess 523 may be formed on an inner side surface ofthe second insulator 52, and a rear portion of the cold water tank 20and the first cooling block part 31 may be mounted in the secondmounting recess 523. A mounting hole 524 may be formed at a center of aninside of the second mounting recess 523. The second cooling block part32 may be inserted and mounted in the mounting recess 523. A rear sideof the mounting hole 524 may be formed to correspond to the through hole123 formed on a rear surface of the second case 12. A plurality ofthermoelectric elements 40 may be in contact with the other side of thesecond cooling block part 32 and accommodated within the mounting hole524 and covered by the second insulator 52.

A plurality of fastening holes 525 may be formed on the edges of themounting hole 524 of the second insulator 52, and a plurality of firstfasteners 81 and second fasteners 82 may penetrate through the pluralityof fastening holes 525, respectively. As the second fastener 82 may befastened to the second coupling part 822 of the first cooling block part31 through the second fastening part 821 of the second case 12 and thefastening hole 525 of the second insulator 52, the second insulator 52,the cold water tank 20, and the cooling block 30 may be fastened to therear surface of the second case 12.

The thermoelectric element 40 may employ or exhibit the Peltier effect.The Peltier effect refers to a phenomenon in which when a DC voltage isapplied to both ends of two different elements, heat absorption occurson one side and heating occurs on tanother side. The thermoelectricelement 40 may be manufactured as a thin film. The plurality ofthermoelectric elements 40 may be installed on the other side of thesecond cooling block part 32 and may cool the cold water tank 20 throughheat absorption of the thermoelectric element 40. A plurality ofelectrodes 41 may be formed on one side of each of the plurality ofthermoelectric elements 40, and power such as, e.g., a DC voltage, maybe applied to the plurality of electrodes 41.

A plurality of electrode fixing parts 526 may be formed on a rearsurface of the second insulator 52, and a plurality of electrodes 41 maybe inserted and fixed to the electrode fixing parts 526. A plurality ofelectrode fixing parts 124 may be formed on a rear surface of the secondcase 12 and the plurality of electrodes may be inserted and fixed to theplurality of electrode fixing parts 124.

Referring to FIG. 7, the internal flow channel 23 may include aplurality of partitions 231 extending in a horizontal direction andprovided to be spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction anda plurality of connectors 232 extending in a vertical direction andconnecting two mutually adjacent partitions 231. The plurality ofconnectors 232 may be alternately provided at a front end and a rear endof each of the partitions 231 to connect the plurality of partitions231. Each of the plurality of partitions 231 may have a communicationhole, such as, e.g., a passageway or gap, 233 formed at a left endportion or a right end portion thereof.

The plurality of partitions 231 may prevent water from flowing in anupward direction and may guide a flow of water in a leftward orrightward direction. The communication hole 233 may allow an upper flowchannel and a lower flow channel partitioned by the plurality ofpartitions 231 to communicate with each other to guide water to flowfrom the lower flow channel to the upper flow channel.

According to a structure of the internal flow channel 23, waterintroduced to a lowermost portion of the internal flow channel 23 may beraised or moved through a first communication hole 233 formed at a rightend portion of a first partition 231 at the lowermost part, and may moveor flow to the left along a second partition 231 positioned above thefirst partition 231. Subsequently, purified water may be raised or mayflow up through the second communication hole 233 formed at a left endportion of the second partition 231 and may move or flow to the rightalong a third partition 231 positioned above the second partition 231.Then, purified water may move or flow in a leftward or rightwarddirection along fourth to Nth partitions 231, may be raised through athird communication hole 233 of the third partition 231 to acommunication hole 233 of the Nth partition 231 to flow in a zigzagmanner up along the internal flow channel 23. Some of the purified waterintroduced through the water inlet 221 may be cooled by thethermoelectric element 40 in the internal flow channel 23 andphase-changed to ice 24 having a predetermined thickness. Purified waterintroduced when the ice 24 is generated may flow along the internal flowchannel 23 so as to be sufficiently heat-exchanged with the ice 24.Accordingly, a predetermined amount of cold water may be made.

Referring to an assembly order of the water cooling apparatus accordingto the present disclosure, first, the cold water tank 20 and the coolingblock 30 may be coupled, and bolts or fasteners may be fastened to eightportions such that the cold water tank 20 and one side of the firstcooling block part 31 may be properly in contact with each other. Thefirst insulator 51 and the second insulator 52 may be coupled with theassembly of the cold water tank 20 and the cooling block 30 interposedtherebetween such that the first insulator 51 and the second insulator52 cover the assembly of the cold water tank 20 and the cooling block30. The first case 11 and the second case 12 may be coupled with theinsulator 50 including the cold water tank 20 and the cooling block 30interposed therebetween, and subsequently assembled to each other.

The cooling block 30 may be fastened to a portion of a rear surface ofthe second case 12 by first fasteners 81 such that the cooling block 30may be fastened to the first fastening part 811 formed on the rearsurface of the second case 12. A plurality of thermoelectric elements 40may be mounted on the other side of the second cooling block part 32.The heat dissipation block 60 may be coupled such that the heatdissipation plate 61 may be properly in contact with the other side ofthe thermoelectric elements 40. The heat dissipation block 60 may befastened to another portion of the rear surface of the second case 12 bysecond fasteners 82. Finally, a plurality of fans 70 may be verticallymounted at the center of a rear surface of the heat dissipation block60.

Referring to FIG. 8, when power is applied to operate the thermoelectricelement 40, heat may be transmitted from one side (for example, the leftside) of the thermoelectric element 40 to another side (for example, theright side). One side of the thermoelectric element 40 may perform heatabsorption and the other side of the thermoelectric element 40 mayperform heating. Through heat absorption of the thermoelectric element40, heat may be transmitted from the cold water tank 20 to one side ofthe first cooling block part 31. Heat from the first cooling block part31 may be transmitted to the other side of the second cooling block part32, and heat may be transmitted from the other side of the secondcooling block part 32 in contact with one side of the thermoelectricelement 40 to one side of the thermoelectric element 40. In this manner,the cold water tank 20 may be cooled by heat absorption of thethermoelectric element 40.

The other side of the thermoelectric element 40 may be in contact withthe heat dissipation plate 61 of the heat dissipation block 60, and maybe heat-exchanged with air introduced to the heat dissipation fins 62and the heat dissipation plate 61 by the fan 70 to outwardly dissipateheat from the thermoelectric element 40.

Blades 71 installed within each of a plurality of fans 70 may beprovided to overlap the plurality of thermoelectric elements 40 in athickness direction and ambient air may be blown towards a centralportion of the heat dissipation plate 61 overlapping the other side ofthe thermoelectric element 40 in a thickness direction to furtherenhance heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation block 60.

A coolant or cooling water filtered by a filter may be introduced to theinside of the tank body 21 through the water inlet 221 of the cold watertank 20. The introduced purified water may move or flow in a zigzagalong the internal flow channel 23 and may be raised or flow up to fillthe inside of the tank body 21. Some of the purified water may remain inthe internal flow channel 23 and may be cooled through heat absorptionof the thermoelectric element 40 so as to be phase-changed to ice 24.Purified water introduced through the water inlet 221 may beheat-exchanged with the ice 24, while moving up along the internal flowchannel 23, so as to be cooled and changed to cold water and ejectedthrough the water outlet 222.

A thickness of the ice 24 may be adjusted by a temperature sensorinstalled on an upper side of the tank body 21. For example, thetemperature sensor may sense a temperature of purified water and may beinstalled in a position corresponding to a half in a thickness directionon the rear surface (or contact surface with the cooling block 30) ofthe tank body 21. Purified water may start to be frozen from the rearsurface of the tank body 21 in contact with the cooling block 30, andwhen the ice 24 is generated to a portion where the temperature sensoris positioned, a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor may berapidly lowered to a temperature below zero, and a controller may stopoperation of the thermoelectric element 40. When operation of thethermoelectric element 40 is stopped, the ice 24 may be melted by heatexchanged between purified water and the ice 24, and when a temperatureof purified water is increased again to be higher than a presettemperature, an operation of the thermoelectric element 40 may beresumed.

Embodiments disclosed herein may provide a water cooling apparatus thatgenerates or produces cold water in which transmission of heat, which isto be outwardly dissipated from a heat dissipation block to a coolingblock may be prevented, and a water purifier having the water coolingapparatus.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, an apparatus such as a watercooling apparatus that generates cold water may include a case; a coldwater tank provided within the case; a cooling block provided to be incontact with the cold water tank and to cool the cold water tank throughheat conduction or heat exchange; a thermoelectric element provided suchthat one side thereof is in contact with the cooling block andperforming heat transmission from the one side to the other side whenpower is applied thereto; an insulator provided within the case andcovering the cold water tank and the cooling block; and a heatdissipation block provided outside of the case and provided to be incontact with the other side of the thermoelectric element to dissipateheat from the other side of the thermoelectric element.

The cooling block and the heat dissipation block may be separatelyfastened to the case. The cooling block and the heat dissipation blockmay be provided to be spaced apart from each other with a rear surfaceof the case and a thermoelectric element accommodated in a through holeof the rear surface of the case interposed therebetween.

The cooling block may be fastened to a portion of the rear surface ofthe case by a plurality of first coupling parts formed to be spacedapart from each other on a rear surface of the cooling block and aplurality of fasteners fastened to the plurality of first couplingparts, and the heat dissipation block may be fastened to another portionof the rear surface of the case by a plurality of second coupling partsformed to be spaced apart from each other along the edges of the throughhole on the rear surface of the case and a plurality of second fastenersfastened to the plurality of second coupling parts.

The plurality of first fastening parts and the plurality of secondfastening parts may be alternately provided along the edges of thethrough hole. One side of the cooling block may be in contact with arear surface of the cold water tank and the other side thereof may be incontact with one side of the thermoelectric element, and a contact areaof the one side of the cooling block may be equal to a size of the coldwater tank.

The cooling block may include a first cooling block part in contact withthe cold water tank; and a second cooling block part extending from arear surface of the first cooling block part, having an area smallerthan that of the first cooling block part, and provided to be in contactwith the thermoelectric element. A height of the second cooling blockmay be set to be different according to types of an insulator. Thethermoelectric element may be provided in plurality on upper and lowersides of the through hole formed at a central portion of a rear surfaceof the case.

The water cooling apparatus may further include a fan blowing ambientair to the heat dissipation block. The fan may be mounted in pluralityon a rear surface of the heat dissipation block and air passing throughblades of the fan may be in contact with a portion of the heatdissipation block overlapping the thermoelectric element in a thicknessdirection.

The cold water tank may include a tank body having a flat rectangularshape; a cover having a water inlet and a water outlet and coupled tothe tank body to cover the front surface of the tank body; and aninternal flow channel provided within the tank body and guiding purifiedwater introduced through the water inlet to the water outlet. The wateroutlet may be positioned to be higher than the water inlet in adirection opposite to gravity.

A partial amount of purified water accommodated in the internal flowchannel may be cooled by the cooling block so as to be changed to icehaving a predetermined thickness, and purified water introduced to theinternal flow channel may be cooled to be changed to cold water throughheat exchange with the ice and ejected. A thickness of the ice may be ⅓to ⅔ of a thickness of the tank body.

Since the cooling block and the heat dissipation block have separatefastening structures with the case interposed therebetween, heat lossand a degradation of cooling performance occurring when one fastenerconnects the cooling block and the heat dissipation block as in therelated art may be prevented.

Since a contact area between the cooling block and the cold water tankis equal to a size of the cold water tank, the cold of the cooling blockis uniformly transmitted to the entire surface of the cold water tank,and thus, ice may be uniformly formed with a predetermined thickness onthe entire surface within the cold water tank, time for generating coldwater is shortened through heat exchange between ice and purified water,and an eject amount of cold water may be secured even with the smalltank.

Since the cold water tank and the cooling block are provided within thecase and the insulator covers the cold water tank and the cooling block,leakage of the cold of the cold water tank and the cooling block may beminimized.

Since the cooling block and the heat dissipation block are spaced apartfrom each other and the insulator is provided between the cooling blockand the heat dissipation block, generation of due condensation on thecooling block may be prevented.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A water cooling apparatus, comprising: a case; awater tank provided within the case; a cooling block provided to be incontact with the water tank and to cool the water tank through heatexchange; a thermoelectric element having one side in contact with thecooling block and provided so as to transfer heat from the one side toanother side of the thermoelectric element when power is appliedthereto; an insulator provided within the case and that covers the watertank and the cooling block; and a heat dissipation block providedoutside of the case and provided to be in contact with the other side ofthe thermoelectric element to dissipate heat from the other side of thethermoelectric element, wherein the water tank is provided with aninternal flow channel configured to allow water to flow in a zigzagthrough the internal flow channel, wherein one amount of the water iscooled by the thermoelectric element and phase-changed into ice having apredetermined thickness while flowing along the internal flow channel,and wherein the ice cools another amount of the water flowing along theinternal flow channel in a space formed between the ice and a frontsurface inside the water tank.
 2. The water cooling apparatus of claim1, wherein the cooling block and the heat dissipation block areseparately fastened to the case.
 3. The water cooling apparatus of claim2, wherein the cooling block and the heat dissipation block are providedto be spaced apart from each other, and wherein a rear surface of thecase and the thermoelectric element, provided in a through hole of therear surface of the case, are provided between the cooling block and theheat dissipation block.
 4. The water cooling apparatus of claim 3,wherein the cooling block is fastened to a portion of the rear surfaceof the case by a plurality of first coupling parts formed to be spacedapart from each other on a rear surface of the cooling block and aplurality of first fasteners fastened to the plurality of first couplingparts, and the heat dissipation block is fastened to another portion ofthe rear surface of the case by a plurality of second coupling partsformed to be spaced apart from each other along edges of the throughhole on the rear surface of the case and a plurality of second fastenersfastened to the plurality of second coupling parts.
 5. The water coolingapparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of first fasteners and theplurality of second fasteners are alternately provided along the edgesof the through hole.
 6. The water cooling apparatus of claim 1, whereinone side of the cooling block is in contact with a rear surface of thewater tank and another side thereof is in contact with one side of thethermoelectric element, and a contact area of the one side of thecooling block is equal to an area of one side of the water tank thatcontacts the one side of the cooling block.
 7. The water coolingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling block includes: a firstcooling block part in contact with the water tank; and a second coolingblock part that extends from a rear surface of the first cooling blockpart, having an area smaller than an area of the first cooling blockpart, and provided to be in contact with the thermoelectric element. 8.The water cooling apparatus of claim 7, wherein a height of the secondcooling block part is set to be different according to a type of theinsulator.
 9. The water cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein thethermoelectric element is provided in plurality on upper and lower sidesof the through hole formed at a central portion of a rear surface of thecase.
 10. The water cooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: afan that blows air towards the heat dissipation block.
 11. The watercooling apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fan is mounted in pluralityon a rear surface of the heat dissipation block and air from the fancontacts a portion of the heat dissipation block that overlaps thethermoelectric element in a thickness direction.
 12. The water coolingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the water tank includes: a tank bodyhaving a flat rectangular shape; and a cover having a water inlet and awater outlet and coupled to the tank body to cover a front surface ofthe tank body, wherein the internal flow channel is provided within thetank body and guides water introduced through the water inlet towardsthe water outlet.
 13. The water cooling apparatus of claim 12, whereinthe water outlet is positioned to be higher than the water inlet in adirection opposite gravity.
 14. The water cooling apparatus of claim 12,wherein one amount of water accommodated in the internal flow channel iscooled by the cooling block so as to be phase-changed to ice having thepredetermined thickness, and another amount of water introduced to theinternal flow channel is cooled to be changed to cold water through heatexchange with the ice and ejected.
 15. The water cooling apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein a thickness of the ice is ⅓ to ⅔ of a thickness of thetank body.
 16. The water cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heatdissipation block includes: a heat dissipation plate; and a plurality ofheat dissipation fins.
 17. The water cooling apparatus of claim 16,wherein the heat dissipation plate has a rectangular shape and is incontact with the thermoelectric element.
 18. The water cooling apparatusof claim 16, wherein the plurality of heat dissipation fins protrudefrom the heat dissipation plate to expand a contact area for air. 19.The water cooling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the plurality of heatdissipation fins extend in a transverse direction and are spaced apartfrom each other in a longitudinal direction.
 20. A water purifiercomprising the water cooling apparatus of claim 1.